Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Kun-Cheng Chang, Hui-Lung Chiu*, Yen-Hsueh Tseng, and Shu-Lin Deng

Abstract:

    The native Eriobotrya plants in Taiwan are the wild relative of loquat crop, and they distribute across the entire island of Taiwan.  The taxon of native Eriobotrya in Taiwan was treated inconsis-tently in past decades, either as species, variety, or forma.  This study was conducted to reassess the systematic status of native Eriobotrya plants in Taiwan by investigations of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) region sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA), partly matK gene sequences of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), and morphological features of leaves, inforescences, and pollens.  Results of ITS sequences analysis showed that only 7 variation sites were detected in 593 base pairs (bp) of ITS sequences obtained from the 14 samples of Eriobotrya plants collected in Taiwan.  In addition, no variation sites were detected in 658 bp of partial matK gene sequences.  Phylogenetic analysis showed that the native Eriobotrya in Taiwan belonged to one monophyletic group which was well separated from other referenced taxa from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).  However, the distinction among three taxa of the native Eriobotrya in Taiwan was still unclear. If affrmed by more other nucleotide sequences would support to clarify the taxon under Eriobotrya defexa.

Key words:Eriobotrya defexa, Rosaceae, ITS sequences, matK sequences, Phylogeny

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